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Local College: Wilkes’ Franco Balbuena breaks men’s cross country record

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Letter to the Editor: Hillary Clinton’s child advocacy doesn’t extend to the unborn

<p>One aspect of presidential elections that has proven to not be a particularly strong driving force for voters is the selection of a vice-presidential candidate.</p><p>It is commonly thought that factors such as choosing a running mate from an important swing state can help to drive elections. Although this has proven to be false, it should not diminish the importance of choosing a viable vice president.</p><p>The vice president is, quite literally, a heartbeat away from the presidency. In every presidential election, equal thought and examination should be put into the vice-presidential candidates as those at the top of the ticket.</p><p>Hillary Clinton&#8217;s choice of Tim Kaine as a running mate on the Democratic Party&#8217;s ticket not only speaks volumes of Kaine&#8217;s character, it speaks volumes about Clinton&#8217;s. Kaine has been a longtime public servant, beginning shortly after he graduated with a degree in economics from the University of Missouri. After completing a year at Harvard Law School, Kaine decided to work in Honduras to help Jesuit missionaries in El Progreso. After returning to the States, he earned his law degree at Harvard.</p><p>Kaine was known for doing pro bono work, and he specialized in fair-housing law as he represented clients discriminated against on the basis of race or disability. After attending city council meetings in Richmond, Va., on a regular basis, Kaine campaigned and was elected to the council. He then served as the mayor of Richmond for three years before being elected as Virginia&#8217;s lieutenant governor.</p><p>As mayor of Richmond, Kaine encouraged investment and was credited for a housing renovation boom in the city. Kaine became known for his work on easing the city&#8217;s racial tensions. As a result of his work, Richmond&#8217;s homicide rate dropped 55 percent during his tenure as mayor.</p><p>Given his successes on a local level, it is no surprise that Kaine&#8217;s tenure as governor of Virginia was extraordinary. He worked on many issues impacting state residents, including energy, conservation, health care, the economy, education and infrastructure.</p><p>He worked to make pre-kindergarten more accessible for at-risk youth. He successfully managed Virginia during the Great Recession, increased state funding for nursing, and signed an executive order banning smoking in all government buildings, restaurants and bars. He also successfully protected 400,000 acres of land in Virginia from development and encouraged conservation efforts throughout the state.</p><p>When Kaine was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012, he continued his progressive agenda by fighting for $500 million in federal funding to high schools to further career and technical education programs. He serves on numerous committees including the Committee on the Budget, Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Special Committee on Aging.</p><p>Sen. Tim Kaine has a history of fighting to ensure prosperity and equality for every American. While there was certainly no lack of speculation in regard to whom Clinton would choose as her running mate, I do not think she could have made a better choice.</p><p>By choosing Kaine, Clinton proved she will not choose her Cabinet or her colleagues based only on popularity or who is likely to garner her favorability; she will choose them based on substance. Hillary will surround herself with staffers who will validate the reason why so many people believe she is the ideal candidate to begin with. She capitalizes on her strengths, and knows the right people to choose for positions in areas where she has weaknesses.</p><p>True leadership is not about being perfect; it is about being able to recognize your own strengths and weaknesses. Clinton&#8217;s opponent has proven time and time again that he is simply incapable of possessing this character trait. It should raise a red flag when anyone in any profession states, &#8220;I alone can fix this.&#8221;</p><p>On Nov. 8, let&#8217;s vote for the candidate who values substance and recognizes that it takes more than one person to manage a nation.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>Beth A. Gilbert</p><p>Guest columnist</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Beth A. Gilbert, a Democrat, is a Wilkes-Barre councilwoman. She represents the city&#8217;s District C.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Beth A. Gilbert: Hillary Clinton’s smart pick of Tim Kaine as running mate reflects her character